Oil-cup.



Unia srarnsgria'nn JOSEPH L. HECHT, @E DAVENPORT, lOl/VA, ASSIGNOR T@ BETTENDORE METAL WHEEL COMPANY, A COEPORAIION OF IOVA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

:Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application led January 6, 1905. Serial No. 239,876.

To al 'whom it may concern.-

Ee it known that l, Josnrn L. Hnciirr, el Davenport, county of Scott, and State of iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in 0il-Cups, of which the following is a speciiication.

rlhis invention has reference to lubricators in the :form ol" an oil cup or reservoir adapted to communicate with the bearing' to be lubricated and provided with a closure or cap arranged when open to permit the cup to be lilled with oil and adapted when closed to ellectually seal the cup against the escape ol' oil and the entrance ot' dust, sand, or other foreign substances.

The device is designed especially `for application to wheel-hubs, pulleys, and analogous moving' parts, but is applicable as well to other bearings, the improvement having' especial reference to the form, construction, and arrangement of the closure or cap, as will lbe fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section through my improved device, showing the cap in closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cap raised, so as to afford a communication between the outside and the oil-chamber :for the introduction of the lubricant. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the cap in closed position. Eig. 4t is a horizontal section on the line a c ot' Figs. 1 and 3.

1 represents an oil reservoir or cup, in the present instance of cylindrical form in crosssection and containing an eilchamber' Q, adapted to receive and contain a supply et oil and convey the same to the bearing to be lubricated, said oil-chamber extending longitudinally and entirely through the cup from end to end. The lower end of the cup is adapted for attachment to the bearing, and in the t'orm shown it is provided with screwthrcads arranged to be screwed into a wheelhub, pulley, or like member. The upper end ol the cup is closed by a cap 3, formed with a `ilat top 4 and an annular longitudinal band or rim 5, which lits closely but slidingly over the upper end of the cup 1, a packing-ring 6 beingI set in the upper end of the cup and a packing-disk 7 being seated in the cap so as to form a tight seal between the parts when the cap is in closed position, as shown in' band of the cap is a longitudinal slot 8, which I designate the oil-feeding opening', the function ot' which is to form a passage conimunicating with the interior of the oil-chamber when the cap is raised or in open position, the arrangement being such that when the cap is in this postion the upper end ot' the slot will extend above the upper end ot' the cup, as shown in Fig. 2, in which position oit the parts oil may be introduced through the opening to lill the chamber.

lirojecting' outwardly from the side of the cup is a stoppin 9, the 'function ot' which is to limit the openingI movement oi' the cap and to guide the same in its movements, this pin when the cap is elevated toits t'ull extent bcing engaged by the lower end ot the slot tl.

'lhe cap is automatically closed aliter being raised and is held closed yieldingly by means of a spiral spring l0, extending centrally and longitudinally in the oil-chambenwith its upper end secured in any suitable manner to the flat top of the cap and its lower end secured to the cup, conveniently toa transverse pin 11 extending through and secured in the walls oi the cup. The spring as thus applied will permit the cap to be raised, so as to bring the oil-feeding opening above the top oi? the cup, and when the cap is raised the spring will act to automatically draw it back and tightly close it against the upper end of the cup, the degree or stretch el. expansion oil? the spring being limited and controlled by the stop-pin, with which the lower end ot' the slot will engage when the cap has been elevated to its full extent in order to bring the upper end of the Vteeding-opening above the cup.

fl am aware that oil-cups have been provided with closing-caps acted on by a spring which serves to automatically close the cap and maintain the same yieldingly in closed position; but l believe mysel'l te be the lirst to combine with these features a device adapted to limit the movement ot' the cap and the consequent stretch ol expansion ol the spring, with the result that the breakage of the spring or the separation et the lparts is ellectually prevented. VVhile in the drawings .lf have shown this stop device in the 'form of a pin on the oil-cup adapted to be engaged by the end ot the oil-:feeding opening in the cap, it is manifest that other forms o'lI stop devices may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention, the essence of which resides in a stop device so related and disposed that it will act to limit the degree of expansion or stretch of the spring' and electually prevent breakage of the same.

It is to be particularly observed that in my improved device the spring acts to hold the cap yieldingly in a closed position, it being' necessary in order to open the cap to lii't it against the restraining action of the spring. It will also be noted that the movement of the cap to open position is positively limited by the end of the feeding-slot encountering the stop 9. connection with a cap which is held closed by the spring, for the reason that the stretch of the spring' which takes place when the cap is opened cannot be such as to break it, and the cap is prevented from being lifted entirely off the cup. Further, by reason of the fact that the spring holds the cup closed there is no danger or' the cup opening accidentally or from jarring', which would he the case if the spring1 tended to throw the cup to open position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination with an oil-cup, of a cap therefor fitting the end of said cup and adapt ed to be moved outward to afford communi- This is of peculiar advantage in l cation with the interior of the cup, a spring connected respectively with the cup and cap and acting to yieldingly restrain the cap against outward movement, said spring' being adapted to be stretched when the cap is moved outwardly and means for limiting the outward movement of the cap and the consequent stretch of the spring.

2. In a lubricator the combination with a cylindrical oil-cup having its receiving end open, ot' a transverse pin extendingvthrough the oil-chamber thereof, and sustained by the walls of the cup, an outwardly-movable cap mounted slidingly over the open end of the cup and formed inits side with an oil-feeding opening adapted, when the cap is moved outward, to extend beyond the upper end or the cup to permit of the introduction of oil, and a closing-spring' iiXed at one end to the cap and at its opposite end to the transverse pin, said spring being arranged to hold the cap yieldingly against outward movement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 3d day oi' January, 1905, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

JOSEPH L. HECHT. Wlitnesses:

ANDREW NEILsoN, M. Louise DODGE. 

